Questioning the Occupy movement name continues to spread

Early on, in the movement against the owning-class war against the working and middle classes in the United States, the use of the word “occupy” was questioned and debated internally.

Here in Albuquerque, the discussion started in early October. The issue isn’t the general purpose of the Occupy Movement; rather its the offense this word has to indigenous people or any peoples that have been colonized. In fact, the word and the act of occupation of public spaces, itself, by non-Native people, without the acknowledgement that the space is occupied already, erases and negates historical and present day struggles waged by Indigenous communities to protect their land and people. But an opposing stance in the debate is that to change the word “occupy” to something else would mean that Albuquerque would not be in full solidarity with those in New York.

Eventually there was an agreement at one of the general assemblies to change the name to (Un)Occupy Albuquerque. However, many people still had the feeling that the name should remain Occupy Albuquerque. The end result is two separate groups, that work together but under two separate names.

Albuquerque is not the only city questioning the term “occupy”. There is Decolonize San Diego, Decolonize Oakland, Decolonize the Barrio, Decolonize Calgary, Decolonize Sedona, Unoccupy Puerto Rico, and Unoccupy Together. In a blog post Andreana Clay discussed the issue in Oakland. Here is her call for reflection about the “white male supremacist capitalist patriarchy” she identifies as involved in the Occupy Movement and those who protest against a proposed name change to Decolonize Oakland:

“What you need to do is listen, not interrupt. Listen to the majority of people who live in this city. Listen to people whose land we occupy. People of color make up the majority of Oakland, physically and metaphorically, the very fabric, and our voice in this movement needs to be recognized. Not in a “caucus”, or a working group,” as some have graciously offered and declared support for. But, as the majority of the city that you are representing. The majority of the 99% in this city. We are as much a part of this movement, involved fully or not. And, as some of you have stated, you need to reach us. And, reaching us does not mean being defensive, posting numerous blogs and posts about your movement to block the passage of a name change, and trotting out your friends of color to tell us what ‘occupy’ means. You need to find another path to build and maintain this movement.”

Albuquerque has been one of the leading cities in broadening the discussion of this term “occupy”. The discussion is spreading far and wide. Indigenous peoples and allies are and have been speaking up.

Aurea Cardiel is El Grito’s Media Fellow, and political science student at the University of New Mexico.